"To pick up what information they could about Mr. Timmins' plans,
so, when Mr. Timmins went away, I was awful glad. I felt pleased,
for Mr. King told as you know that he was a free and easy fellow,
friendly to everybody, and sometimes drank more than he ought to."

"Yes, I know that, Hiram."

"Well, last night I went to town to get some supplies for Mr.
Grimshaw. There's a tavern at the cross roads, and some men were in
there. I saw them through an open window. There were six of them.
Brooks was there, and Jerry and his father, and three more of the
crowd. They were playing cards and making a great deal of noise.
Just as I looked in some one pulled down the shade. I caught a
sight of the other man, though. Right off, even at the distance I
was, it struck me he looked like Mr. Timmins. Then I remembered
that Mr. Timmins had certainly gone to Kewaukee the night before, so
I put it off my mind. Now, I see the whole trick."

"What is that?"

"The crowd kept Mr. Timmins here, delaying and entertaining him.
Maybe later some of them led him still further away from Columbus.
Their man is probably on the spot at Kewaukee now, ready to get that
big contract for show biplanes."

Dave had been anxiously walking up and down the floor while Hiram
was talking. Now he took his cap off a peg and picked up an
umbrella.

"You wait here till I come back, Hiram," he said.